Pictured: Wachapreague General Store. Photo credit- James Bell, 2021 Wachapreague General Store. Photo credit- James Bell, 2021

Virginia has added eight new sites to the Virginia Landmarks Register, recognizing places across the Commonwealth for their historic, architectural, and cultural significance, including a historic district on the Eastern Shore.

The Commonwealth’s Board of Historic Resources approved the designations during its quarterly public meeting on December 11 in Richmond. The Virginia Landmarks Register is the state’s official list of properties deemed important to Virginia’s history and heritage.

Among the newly designated sites is the Wachapreague Historic District. Encompassing 96 acres, the district includes the waterfront town of Wachapreague, which developed from the late 19th through the early 20th centuries as a destination for hunting and fishing and as a commercial hub with access to the Wachapreague Channel and the Atlantic Ocean.

The district features a concentration of residential and commercial buildings constructed in vernacular, Folk Victorian, and other architectural styles common to the Eastern Shore during the town’s period of growth. While Wachapreague’s population declined beginning in the 1960s, the town continues to attract visitors from across Virginia and beyond.

Other sites approved for listing include properties in Arlington, Bath, Frederick, Loudoun, and Pittsylvania counties; the city of Petersburg; and the town of Mount Jackson in Shenandoah County. Collectively, the new landmarks highlight a diverse range of resources, from a 20th-century airfield built for early commercial air travelers to a mill dam and mill pond complex that once served as a recreational and social center in Southwest Virginia.

The Virginia Department of Historic Resources will forward documentation for the newly listed sites to the National Park Service for consideration for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.

State and national register listings are honorary and do not place restrictions on private property owners. Instead, the designations are intended to encourage public understanding of Virginia’s historic places and provide property owners with the opportunity to pursue historic rehabilitation tax credits. Any tax credit projects must comply with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.

RICHMOND, Va. (WSET) — Governor Glenn Youngkin laid out his final budget plan on Wednesday, making his case for where Virginia stands financially and where he said it should go next.

Speaking before the General Assembly, Youngkin said Virginia is strong both financially and economically, arguing his budget keeps that momentum going as his term comes to an end.

Addressing lawmakers, Youngkin presented what he described as a turnaround for the commonwealth. “It’s a story of transformation, a story of promises made and promises kept,” Youngkin said.

The governor credited his administration with record business investment, job growth, and strong revenue. He said Virginia is in a better position now than it was four years ago.

“The pace has been fast, and the progress has been significant,” Youngkin said.

SEE ALSO: Lynchburg City Schools gifted plaque to commemorate 160 years of education

In his budget proposal, Youngkin calls for cutting taxes, not raising them, urging lawmakers and the next administration to stay the course.

“Revenue growth that is driven by record economic development, record job growth, strong consumer, and giving me great confidence in the future of Virginia,” he said.

Youngkin said his plan funds key priorities, including education, public safety, health care, tax relief, and child care, while keeping Virginia competitive for business.

“The net of it is a budget that is structurally sound. A budget that can take Virginia into the future and keep her soaring,” Youngkin said.

Youngkin is now asking lawmakers to adopt his budget framework as negotiations begin, with debate shifting to the General Assembly and the incoming governor’s administration.

“I think that leaves considerable upside for the next administration, and we’ve used that strong underpinning to provide for everything that the commonwealth needs to do,” Youngkin said.

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — A $50 million statewide initiative is looking to reform Virginia’s child welfare system.

In a release shared by the governor’s office on Tuesday, Dec. 16, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced the Safe Kids, Strong Families roadmap, which aims to strengthen child safety, expand permanency and support the Commonwealth’s child welfare workforce. The initiative is a collaboration between the governor’s office and a coalition of state, local and community partners.

The proposed $50 million investment from the governor’s budget would go toward several key objectives in the plan. The roadmap builds on several initiatives to strengthen child safety and permanency that were launched since 2022.

Per the release, $10 million would go toward increasing the minimum salary for local family services specialists to $55,000 to address high vacancy and turnover rates.

An allocation of $424,000 would go toward priority response within 24 hours for children ages 3 and younger. With 81% of last year’s child fatalities involving children under 3 years old, the age group is at the highest risk of maltreatment, per the release.

The initiative also calls for a $32.7 million investment and 132 positions to create a centralized intake system. The 24/7 hotline would handle reports of child abuse and neglect and connect them to local departments.

Youngkin said the initiative reflects years of efforts from the state to strengthen child welfare.

“This roadmap builds on the progress we’ve made and sets a clear direction for a system designed to protect children and support families for generations,” Youngkin said. “It reflects the Commonwealth’s enduring commitment to every child’s well-being and future.”